Now, I’m making it with two other Asian sauces: one that’s based on Thai fish sauce and the other with that gooey Chinese ketchup-like concoction hoisin sauce. Both of these are versatile. I use the version with fish sauce for Thai basil chicken, and the hoisin base with broccoli and tofu.

In all cases, I steam the bok choy first, and cook the protein ingredients, all the while readying the other ingredients, which typically include garlic and ginger, and sometimes sliced red peppers.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute to diminish the rawness of the garlic. Add the shrimp to the pan and stir fry it until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp to a plate. Turn down the heat to medium.

Add the cooked bok choy to the pan and heat it gently. Add the reserved sauce and toss to combine. Sprinkle on a few hot pepper flakes or drops of hot pepper sauce.